Tuesday, 13 October: Live updates from the Leeds Now newsroom

Stoptober, a month where all smokers in England join to try and quit smoking together. They say that if you can quit smoking for 28 days, you’re five times more likely to quit for good.
Leeds Stop Smoking Services offer a range of support like a health coach, free bespoke service provides two ways to try quit smoking. They said: “You are up to three times more likely to succeed with expert support, they use the latest, evidenced-based behavioural change support and medication to help you.”

A Leeds pharmacy is ordering in more stock to avoid patients going without their medication.
There has been a shortage of over 200 different prescription drugs in pharmacies across the UK in recent weeks.
Tannia Kumar, a pharmacist at Brudenell Road Pharmacy, said, “we restock when we know there is a certain medicine running short, and we tend to stock up on the fast lines of medication.”
If antibiotics are not taken when required, Kumar said “symptoms may change” and patients might need a different prescription or “might even need a stronger antibiotic.”
Kumar said it is “very significant for people to have their antibiotics on time because having it when you are meant to”
An ICB spokesperson said: “There is currently no known shortage of antibiotics in Leeds. More information on medicines supply can be found on the NHS website. There is also information on infection prevention and responsible use of antibiotics on the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership website.”

She Kills Monsters is a play written by Qui Nguyen and debuted in 2011. The play follows Agnes Evans a young woman grieving the death of her younger sister, Tilly. While sorting through Tilly’s belongings she finds a Dungeons and Dragons campaign her sister wrote and decides to play it.
The show blends pop culture, comedy and heartfelt drama. She Kills Monsters explores storytelling as a way to process loss, celebrate identity and find connection after tragedy.
Chelsea Issott, director of the show said “I fell in love with it because it’s fast paced, funny and full of action. It combined two things I already love: 90’s pop culture and dungeons and dragons. I also love how the show centres around sisterhood and connection. “

A spokesperson from Stand Up Leeds, said: “The protest went well. We are pleased with how the day went and with the people who came along to make our voices heard.”
They added: “We believe people should be able to raise concerns about illegal migrations, border security, public safety and the direction our country is heading without automatically branding us racists.

Celebrating its 5th year, Truman Books and The Old Woollen return to co-host the Farsley Literature Fest. Kicking off on the night of November 12th and running until the 23rd, it hosts an impressive lineup of guest speakers including Masterchef’s Jay Rayner, John Boyne and Joanne Harris.

Preparations are underway for the city’s favourite community event. 
While thousands of people are expected to take to the streets for Leeds Light Night, a team of artists, technicians, volunteers and event organisers are working behind the scenes to transform the city centre into an illuminated art exhibition. 
The annual festival transforms the city after dark, with buildings, public spaces and streets becoming the platforms for light installations. However, behind the scenes is a considerable amount of planning and work that visitors may never see.

From the 5th October to the 11th October it is Dyslexia Awareness Week. This is organised by the British Dyslexia Association (BDA), who’s aim is to bring people together and improve the understanding of Dyslexia. This year’s theme is, Dyslexia in real life: At work, focused on the experiences of dyslexic people in the workplace, celebrating progress while recognising the barriers that still need to be addressed.

Residents in Leeds have called for better street lighting and cleaner neighbourhoods as part of a new council programme aimed at improving areas across the city.
Leeds city council announced the launch of ‘Love Leeds’ on the 30th September 2026. With plans to work with residents to identify local priorities and visibly improve 33 wards.

Five years on from Safer parks research into women’s and girls safety , Leeds councillors say initiatives are being introduced to make parks safer.
Green Party Councillor Eden Hills says additional lighting and police presence are some of the measures being used to improve safety.
However, Councillor Time Goodall argues that lighting at Woodhouse Moor could make people “less safe.”
Leeds resident Esther Adjei says she has “had no bad experiences in the city’s parks” suggesting clear improvements.

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) latest report shows the economy in the UK is forecasted to grow by 1.3%, rather than the previously reported 1%, before slowing down in 2027.
The main source of the slowing of economic growth is expected to be the increase in energy prices and interest rates, two areas that will particularly hurt West Yorkshire.

A Unite union strike planned to start today has been suspended after the employer GXO Logistics has come with a new offer. 
The strikes, which was meant to include over 200 lorry drivers across the country, including in West Yorkshire, were announced last week after an initial pay increase of 4% was deemed too little.
Unite Union have said that the strikes will resume, should the new offer be rejected.

Today marks metastatic breast cancer (MBC) awareness day, which has the aim to bring awareness to the public about the disease and how to spot it at early stages. 
An estimated 61,000 individuals within the UK live with MBC, and currently is treatable, but has no cure.
Charities across the country are speaking up on why the public should be cautious and know the symptoms to MBC, in hopes of helping people do regular checkups at home and preventing the disease from developing further. 

The growth of electric vehicles has challenged Leeds infrastructure, with models like the BMW i7, Jaguar Type 01 and Kia EV9 not fitting into a standard parking space.
Concerns rise as the number of electric cars registered in Leeds continues to grow, with almost 65,000 recorded, according to Department of Transport figures.
Electric vehicles now account for 14.5% of licensed cars in the city, up from 9.8% in 2025.
Professor Zia Wadud, a transport researcher at the University of Leeds, said the increasing size of cars is creating wider problems for urban areas. “Parking, it’s a major issue at the moment,” he said.
“Autobesity or car spread is a real thing and large electric vehicles have implications outside of carbon emissions and air pollution.”
He also suggested new measures, such as those in Paris where larger vehicles are made to pay higher parking charges.
Wadud mentioned Paris as an example of how cities could respond to increasingly large vehicles.
“Paris has increased it’s parking charges for bigger vehicles and that seems to be working, so there are policies that can work,” he said.

Asket Hill in Roundhay has been playing host to a herd of Royal Golden Guernsey Goats to take back control of its grasslands.
The introduction of the goats has been a welcome change to Roundhay, the back to basics approach comes in line with council efforts to tame the overgrown grasslands around Leeds. Supplied by Mossy Oaks based out of Castle Howard, the goats are able to thrive all year round in harsh conditions and are perfect for conservation grazing.

Eman Abdura Hman Sayed Said: “Around here, it’s been increasing. I keep hearing about different far-rights groups, whether it’s Reform or Restore organizing some sort of demonstration or rally. Last week, we had to call an immediate counter-protest for a Restore group coming. There here again, this week.”
“They’ve obviously been increasingly [more] confident and mobilizing, as they have been wearing blackshirts in Portsmouth and Dover. So, it feels like they’re trying to gain [more] street presences, which we’re here to say: ‘get out’.”

Unite the Union says the strikes at Leeds Bradford Airport are set to “escalate”.
The next round of industrial action will take place from 23 October to 2 November which coincides with the busy half term period.
Unite regional officer Neil Whitaker said: “We appreciate those travelling to and from Leeds Bradford Airport will be concerned to hear that there are further strike dates, but the situation is completely the fault of the airport’s management. It can end this dispute, but that relies on it coming back to the table with a fair deal for our members.”
A spokesperson for Leeds Bradford Airport said: “These aggressive tactics serve no purpose and only create uncertainty for the hardworking customers of Leeds Bradford Airport who are looking forward to enjoying time away with family and friends during the upcoming half-term break. We are disappointed that this approach has been taken at a time when positive discussions are continuing.”

Yorkshire’s busiest airport could be shut down from Friday and into the weekend if plans to strike go ahead.
The strikes are the latest in a pay dispute stretching back to 2025, and are backed by Unite the Union.
While the union says the airport will not be able to run if the workers strike, the airport itself has said it intends to run a near-normal service.
A statement from Unite suggested that Leeds Bradford Airport is “very profitable”, but records on Companies House show that the airport posted a total loss of over £8 million in the last financial year